Clutch



M. H. WOLFF May 23, 1950 CLUTCH Filed March 24, 1947 ATTOQ/YEK said collar and a locking'recess 2|.

a locking recess 2| in Fig. 2 and forced to travel portion of the yoke is fashioned into a handle'39.j

Obviously, moving the handle 39 will produce movement of the actuating collar 25 and move the balls 22 from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3, or vice versa.

The construction shown in Fig.5 does not differ materially from that described for Figsl' for the reason that flange 4 is keyedat 8 to sleeve 8, and the sleeve in turn is keyed at H to the shaft ill. The flange 5 in turn is in positive looked engagement with sleeve 9, for the reason that each ball 22 is within a recess 2| and held in said recess, and against escape therefrom, by collar 25. It will be noted that each ball is in engagement with the wall bounding a ball groove 25 of actuating collar 25. I

-When itis' desired to have the belt run free. handle 38 is moved in one direction, which will shift the collar 25 from the right of the show- 1 to 4 inclusive, save and except-that suchtcone struction is adaptable for multiple belts. In the construction of Fig. 5, I provide two pulleys consisting of three flanges 50, 5| and 52. Flange 5| has. pitched faces 53 and 54 for cooperation with the pitched faces of flanges 50 and 52. This construction contemplates two V-type 'belts .55 and 56. Flange 58 is keyed at 5'! to hub 01'' sleeve 58 carried on shaft 59. Sleeve 58 and shaft 59 are keyed together in the same manner as shaft I8 is keyedto: sleeve 9, as shown in Fig. 1 at H.

Flanges 5l' and 52 are respectively annularly grooved at 60 and 6|, and flange 5| is provided with a hub 62 carried on sleeve 58. Flange 52 is provided with a hub 83 having a portion '54 carried on sleeve 58, and a stepped portion 65 which accommodatesa ,portion of hub 62. Spaced apart pairs of race rings 68 and 61, with interposed balls 68, are positioned within the annular grooves 50 and 8|, one of saidpairs 66 being carried on sleeve 58, while the other pair 51 is carried on hub 62. Hub 62 is provided with one or more spaced apart longitudinally extending grooves 69, adapted to receive a key 10, the key being carried by flange 52. The key in the present instance constitutes a threaded pin received in a threaded opening of the flange and having an end projecting within a groove 69. Thus the key has movement within the groove. Sleeve 58 is provided with one or more grooves 12 of lesser depth than ball recesses (I but connecting therewith. The hub 63 is provided with one or more transverse bores 13, which function in each instance as a cage for. a ball .14, which ball is adapted to be received within'a pocket or recess 1|, or moved from said recess ing of Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The actuating collar will first be moved to position the balls 22 within the diverging ball groove portion of the collar, followed by the collar contacting stop 38, whereupon movement of the hub |2will occur. As each ball 22 is confined with- 'm'a bore-23, each ball must also move to the locking recesses 1|, and with longitudinal ball' 7 into the longitudinal ball groove 12 when hub 53 is shifted on sleeve 58. Hub 63 carries an annular stop 15, and spacedly surrounding hub 53 is an actuating collar 15. This collar is substantially identical with the actuating collar 25 and cooperates with a split collar of the type shown in Fig. 3 at 29, which is adapted to be actuated coordinate with said split collar, see

pitched faces of the belt 3, and the base 20 of the belt-willbe spaced from ring- II.

In the embodiment shown; assuming that the belt 3 is driving the pulley, it is evident that the pulley, viewing Fig. 2, will rotateshaftl0; this right in step with movement of the hub l2, to position the balk in a longitudinal ball groove 24; The belt .3 will have its base surface 28 in engagement with ring l1, and as this is afree ring, the belt may rotate without drivingthe pulley. I

The operation of the device depicted in Fig. '5 is substantially the same as that in Figs. l-to 4, with the following additional explanation: When the actuating collar 16 is moved to the right to contact stop 15, further movement there of'will'move hub 53 and cause each ball 14 to move from a'lock'ing recess II into a ball groove 12', the ball engaging the diverging ball groove of said sleeve 16. Such movement will cause the flange 52 to separate from the flange 5|, and per: mit the belt 55 to engage the free-running ring of rings 61. As the hub 63 moves, key 10 travels within the elongated slot 59 of hub 63 until the key reaches the excursion of its movement, whereuponthe key will engage the hub 62 and continued movement will cause slide movement of the hub 62 on sleeve 58 to cause separation of flanges 50 and 5|. Such separation will permit the belt 55 to restupon the-free ring of rings 56.. positioned in annular groove 68 of flange" 5|. In the'construction of-Fig. 5 it'is evident-that separation of the belts from their respective flanges is progressivex'In'the retro: grade movement, flange 52 will move toward the free-running belt '56 to shift the same toward flange 5| and prior to a ball id-moving from theball groove 12 into a locking recess 1|. During the movement of hub 63, the key 10 will contact the opposite end or walladjoining groove BI and causemovement of flange 5| toward flange 58, the flanges all being in the position-shownin Fig.5 by the time a ball 1-4 is permitted to be received. within a recess or pocket 1|.' Y

A brief summary of the advantages of the invention will disclose the fact that the sides of the belt when engagingboth flanges of a sheave, drive a shaft so thatthe shaft rotates positively both flanges. Hence the present invention is so constructed and arranged that one flange of a sheave does "not rotate freely while the other flange drives a shaft, or vice versa. Sheaves of the character just stated cause undue wear on a belt unless the flanges are both driven. In the present invention one of the flanges of a sheave is positively locked closed for belt engagement, or unlocked and separated from the other flange so'that the belt may travel freely on a freely-rotating ring. The'positive lock assures that the fiangesare repeatedly spacedv apart a predeter mined distance in their closed or operating position and that the lever 39 will not change its position unless a force be applied thereto after a locking movement thereof. Furthermore, the construction permits the operator at will to gradually increase the tension on a V-belt equally on each side of the belt as he moves the lever to cause belt engagement and thereby gradually increase the load on the belt.

I claim:

1. A clutch as disclosed, including a sheave having two flanges, one of which is fixed and the other of which is shiftable, a hub keyed to the fixed flange, a sleeve hub carried on the periphery of the first hub, the sleeve hub secured to the shiftable flange, said sleeve hub formed with a transverse bore and said first hub provided with a peripheral communicating spherical recess and a longitudinal ball groove of lesser depth, a ball within the transverse bore of the sleeve hub for reception in the spherical recess or the ball groove of the first hub, a collar surrounding the sleeve hub, said collar having a parallel ball groove portion and a communicating outwardly diverging ball groove, said ball being maintained within the parallel ball groove portion in the collar and in the spherical recess in the first hub, a shifting of the collar in one direction to separate shiftable flange from the fixed flange, positioning the ball in the outwardly diverging ball groove of the collar and the longitudinal ball groove of the first hub, the sleeve hub, the collar and first hub being in uniform rotational engagement at all times and positively locked when the ball is forced into the spherical recess.

2. A clutch as disclosed, including a hub, a sheave having two flanges, one of which is in fixed driving relationship with said hub and the other of which is shiftable laterally on said hub to efiect approach or separation of the flanges, said shiftable flange provided with a sleeve hub carried on the first hub, a ball carried by the sleeve hub, the first hub formed with a recess and groove for receiving said ball and for maintaining the sleeve hub at all times in uniform rotational relationship with said first hub, and for locking the shiftable flange in one position laterally relative to the fixed flange.

3. A clutch as disclosed, wherein a sheave has two flanges, one of which flanges is fixed and the other of which is shiftable relative to the fixed flange, the inner faces of said flanges being pitched to receive a V-type belt therebetween and for driving relationship with said belt when said shiftable flange is in one position, and to completely release said belt from engagement with said pitched faces of both flanges when the shiftable flange is in a second position, including: a first hub keyed to the fixed flange, a sleeve hub carried on the first hub, the sleeve hub integral with the shiftable flange, a, ball carried by the sleeve hub, said first hub formed with a recess communicating with a ball groove of lesser depth, a collar surrounding the sleeve hub for maintaining the ball in the recess or ball groove of said first hub, said collar maintaining the ball in the recess which is of greater depth than the communicating groove when the pitched faces of both flanges are in driving relationship with the V- belt, a shifting of said collar permitting the separation of the shiftable flange from the first flange and positioning the ball in the groove which is of lesser depth than the communicating recess, the sleeve hub at all times being in uniform radial relationship with the first hub and positively locked when the belt is in driving position.

4. A clutch as disclosed, including a sheave having two flanges, a first hub with one of the said flanges keyed to said hub, said other flange formed with a sleeve hub carried on the first hub, a ball carried by the sleeve hub, the first hub formed with a recess and communicating ball groove of different depths and adapted to receive said ball, a collar surrounding the sleeve hub for positioning said ball in the recess or communicating ball groove, a stop member carried by said sleeve hub, said collar maintaining said ball in the recess when the flanges of the sheave are in driving relationship with a V-belt positioned therebetween, shifting of said collar causing engagement with the stop to in turn move the shiftable flange and position the ball in the ball groove of lesser depth, the said sleeve hub, said first hub and said collar at all times being maintained in positive uniform rotational engagement, and said flanges being separated to completely release the V-belt from engagement therewith.

5. A clutch as disclosed, including a sheave having two flanges, a first hub, one of the said flanges keyed to the hub; said other flange formed with a sleeve hub carried on the first hub, a ball carried by the sleeve hub, the first hub formed with a spherical recess and communicating ball groove of different depths and adapted to receive said ball, a collar surrounding the sleeve hub and for positioning said ball in the spherical recess or communicating ball groove of different depths, a, stop member carried by said sleeve hub, said collar locking said ball in the spherical recess when the flanges of the sheave are in driving relationship with a V-belt positioned therebetween, shifting of said collar causing engagement with the stop to in turn move the shiftable flange and position the ball in the ball groove which is of lesser depth than the spherical recess, the said sleeve hub and said collar and said first hub being maintained in uniform rotational engagement with the flanges at all times, said flanges being separated to completely release the V-belt from engagement therewith.

MAI-ILON H. WOLFE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,068,188 Vincent July 22, 1913 2,182,956 Beyerline Dec. 12, 1939 2,259,149 Cederstrom Oct. 24, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,400 Great Britain Nov. 19. 1902 

